Tuesday 12 October 2010

Picton Castle at anchor at Banam Bay, Malakula, Vanuatu; Tuesday 12 October 2010 בס"ד

The morning watch began with massive amounts of working out with almost all of us who weren't on helm or lookout. It was followed by storytime. Not much else happened, and I was fourth helm steering SE xE 1/2E until we were told to up and loose tgallants, topsls and courses. Then I had to pass the main topmst staysl, and we set the sails and spanker with the 4-8s. All was said and done by 0415. Watch below DTW. All hands wakeup at 0930. I went to the aloha deck for some coffee when I spotted a cucaracha scurrying along. I took my nasty hat and made it even nastier by thwacking it and then tossed it overboard. Soon thereafter we dropped anchor, and WT told me once it was at bottom to wirebrush and corroseal the 1-shot marker of our starboard bower. I did that, and then he told me corroseal firehose manifolds. The 12-4 took the first anchor watch at this time. After the 1-shot marker had dried, I painted the red and white links. There was a fun dance party on the well deck while I was working with some locals who had rowed out in their outrigger dugout canoes. I corrosealed the tgallant rail in the after port breezeway, then had lunch. After lunch, wirebrushed and corrosealed the 2-shot marker (as we had let out another shot). It wasn't long before it started downpouring, and the watch went to slacking running rigging. I also helped unload and organize French schoolbooks from the hold. While down there, we discovered some potatoes that got smushed and became maggot-infested, so to maggot duty it was, and we brought all the potatoes on deck, chucking the bad ones and keeping the good ones. Tidied up the deck, and then helped galley by making juice. All shipswork was complete, and I sat down on the aloha deck to read some Mauritius Command. I read the part where they baptized the pollywogs and had a laugh out loud, remembering how the same happened to me not long ago, when I looked up and saw the Captain standing there. He said to me, “What is the deal with this bucket?” and I looked and saw the sea bucket was made fast with a heaving line. Then, he asked me, “Who is on galley? Brad! Go find Brad.” So I found Brad and brought him back and he, Dapper, and I were minorly reprimanded for being unseamanlike. Apparently the bucket's line had nearly parted, so it was temporarily made fast with a heaving line, and since we were all sitting around we probably should have been good sailors and gotten a more appropriate line and spliced it to the bucket and whipped off the bitter end and made it fast properly. Even though I had just sat down to read and didn't notice it, I agree with the Captain because if I'm on deck I'd better be in the habit of making sure everything is well before I lounge around, especially if it's right in front of me. Anyway, had dinner with some locals aboard. I then read some more Mauritius Command (below), took a nap, and stood my anchor watch at 2200. The final skiff runs came in during my watch, but nothing eventful occurred.